e-Health
Note: eEurope 2005 finished at the end of 2005.
Please note that these pages are archived and no longer updated.
For up to date information, please see the i2010 strategy website.
The Information Society offers new possibilities for improving almost every aspect of healthcare, from making medical systems more powerful to providing better health information to everyone.
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“e-Health is today’s tool for substantial
productivity gains, while providing tomorrow’s instrument for restructured,
citizen-centred health care systems and, at the same time, respecting the
diversity of Europe’s multi-cultural, multi-lingual health care traditions.
There are many examples of successful e-Health developments including health
information networks, electronic health records, telemedicine services,
wearable and portable monitoring systems, and health portals.” - This definition of e-Health was first developed in the e-Health Ministerial Declaration, 22 May 2003, and made during the 2003 e-Health Ministerial Conference. |
The impact of e-Health is, therefore, is as diverse as the sector itself, encompassing the quality of health-related Web content, patient data security, 'telemedicine' technologies, tackling administrative headaches for hospital staff, doctors and patients, and much more.
European Challenges
Realising these benefits, however, is complex and long-term. Healthcare systems are immensely complicated, both in terms of organisation and technologies. Health data is also particularly sensitive, so individuals' health information must be protected. Indeed, this is a very data-intensive sector.
Many of these issues, such as data privacy and public health, have a European dimension. Health authorities throughout Europe are now learning actively from each others' experience, sharing in building roadmaps and action plans. Co-ordinating research and development across Europe is helping accelerate the development of new e-Health technologies.
Meeting the eEurope goal of getting modern e-health services online by 2005 - as described in the eEurope 2005 Action Plan - requires top-level political commitment. This has been experienced both in the series of European Ministerial Conferences and in the ongoing commitment to the e-Health Action Plan. The first conference took place in Brussels, Belgium, in July 2003. The second conference took place in Ireland in May 2004. The third conference took place in Norway on 23-24 May 2005 (Conference conclusions). At all the conferences there were exhibitions held at which providers of Europe's best e-Health solutions exhibited, with the most outstanding receiving eEurope for e-Health Awards. Now, identification of good practice continues to be approached through various benchmarking exercises and a number of studies.
Setting the Targets
In addition to these Conferences, the eEurope 2005 Action Plan sets out a number of policies and targets for both the European Commission and EU Member States. The success of this ambitious goal is achieved through:
- Electronic Health Cards: The European health insurance card is to be adopted in 2008, replacing the paper-based forms citizens need for health treatment when in other Member States. The eEurope 2005 target is to build upon this, using Commission proposals for a common approach to patient identifiers and electronic health record architecture, and create a European electronic health card.
In June 2004, new regulations simplified procedures so that the electronic health insurance card will replace all the paper forms used while on a temporary stay (students, job seekers, workers posted abroad, sailors, truck drivers, travellers and tourists). Pilot activities and implementations are starting. Through DG Social Affairs and Employment, activities are underway to survey the number of electronic health insurance cards available throughout Europe.
Such cards could feature added functionalities, such as medical emergency data and secure access to personal health information. Combined with other developments, this could bring greater efficiency to health information management, continuity of care across Europe, and greater security and control for users over their health data.
- Online Services: eEurope 2005 states that by the end of 2005 Commission and Member States will ensure that online health services are provided to citizens. Applications to be implemented by Member States include simple information provision services (e.g. healthy living advice) as well as clinical tools such as tele-consultation and administrative tools such as e-reimbursement.
The Commission services are monitoring the Member States' activities in both making health information accessible and implementing these quality criteria. A call for proposals on webseals has been launched as part of the 2005 work programme of the Public Health Programme. Other activities involve the development of health-related online services (e.g. air and water quality information) at the European level through the eTEN programme. A public health portal to improve the public health information in the EU will be implemented by the end of 2005, focusing on the kinds of health-related data of use to governments and also to citizens.
- Health Information Networks: Health Information Networks aim to speed the flow of health information through the healthcare system, so they range in nature from local hospital-doctor-patient networks through to Europe-wide systems for spotting emerging health threats. They are, therefore, a crucial infrastructure for e-Health.
Under the eEurope 2005 action plan, Member States are to develop these networks between points of care (hospitals, laboratories and homes), rolling out broadband connectivity where required. The Commission is working in parallel at the European level, focusing on public health data and co-ordinating actions for Europe-wide rapid reactions to health threats.
Please see here for the action plan for the European health area.
Projects
INFOBIOMED - 1st Training Challenge
The First INFOBIOMED Training Challenge is now launched. This innovative training experience organized by INFOBIOMED will take place in Viladrau (Barcelona, Spain) from the 12th to the 16th of September 2005... More on ICT for Health webpage.
Additional Links, Further Reading
- European Research: The European Commission has been supporting R&D into health telematics for some 15 years through the IST programme and its predecessors. Results include integrated regional health information networks, standardised electronic health records, reliable and effective telemedicine services (teleconsultation and home telemonitoring), as well as personal systems for citizens to support and manage their health status. For specific information on the work of the 'ICT for Health' Unit in the research and development area, please visit the e-Health website;
- Other important activities already underway include improving the use of health information systems and services in the community pharmaceutical regulatory system, such as Eudravigilance (medicine safety), the Europharm Database and e-submission between regulatory authorities and industry. State-of-the-art development of innovative medicines, supported by use of information technologies, are also envisaged.
- A number of benchmarking activities are encouraged within the eEurope initiative. Some associated reports with a health-related content include (but not limited to):
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IST Impact Study: Microelectronics & Microsystems, Health, Mobile Communications - see here for further information and the final report.
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For general information on what is happening in e-Health in the ICT for Health Unit, please follow the links on our 'Information can save your life' page.
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| Last update: 04/05/2007 |
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